Paste dispensing



May 18,1926. 1,584,838

. A. P. BRUSH PASTE DI SPENSING Filed August 27. 1925 I INIVENITOR ATTONEY Patented May 18, 1926.

UNITED STATES ABBOTT P. BRUSH, OF GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT.

PASTE DISPENSING.

Application filed August 27, 1925. Serial No, 52,718.

The objects of this invention are to provide a simple, inexpensive andpractical device for dispensing tooth paste or other material of aplastic or semi-fluid nature, which canbe easily operated to dischargeany desired quantity of the paste and which will be self-sealing andself-cleaning in op eration so as to be and remain truly sanitary andhygienic.

These objects are attained in part by a discharge member in the natureof a rubber nipple having a continuous thin wall pierced while in astretched condition so as to have an extreme self-sealing tendencyrendering it normally both airtight and liquid-tight and thiscontracting passage in the thin wall having the eiiect of biting off thepaste line directly the compression force for discharging the paste isremoved.

Various other novel features of the invention will appear as thespecification pro- Figure l is a perspective view of one form of thedevice applied to an ordinary collapsible paste tube.

Figure 2 is an enlarged part sectional view of the dispenser in a normalor relaxed condition filled with paste from the tube.

Figure 3 is a similar view illustrating the discharging action effectedby squeezing pressure on the nipple.

Figure 4 is a like view illustrating the cutting-0E and self-clearingaction effected in the return, upon removal of the discharging force.

Figure 5 is a corresponding view showing the discharge port in thenipple returned to the normally closed and sealed condition.

Figures 6 and 7' are detail views illustrating the piercing of thematerial while stretched to form a lesion which will open under'pressure but which will completely seal on removal of the stretchingforce.

The paste tube shown at 1 is of the usual collaps ble type having ascrew threaded discharge neck 2.

The dispensing nipple is designated 3 and is shown as apphed to thedischarge neck of the tube by-means of a screw collar 4 in the base ofthe nipple and directly engaged with the discharge neck, Figure 2. Thusassociated with the tube the nipple forms both a cover for the tube anda holder for the paste discharged from the tube.

The nipple is made of highly elastic material such as live sheet rubberand as shown in the sectional views, has a thin wall of substantiallythe same thickness throughout the active portion of the same. Normally,this wall is of continuous and unbroken extent so as to absolutely sealthe contents of both nipple and tube in an airtight, watertightcondition. An incipient weakness is, however, provided in this normallycontinuous and unbroken wall which gives way under pressure of thecontents but automatically heals as soon as pressure is removedorreleased.

This normally unbroken self-healing effect is obtained by piercing theelastic wall while it is in a stretched, attenuated condition, as shownin Figure 6, as by means of a suitable perforating instrument, 5 so asto leave the material when it relaxes or returns to a normal state withwhat amounts to practically only a line of weakness 6 and which strictlyis not an opening, but defines a pomtat which the material will openwhen sufiicient stretching force is applied. AMCODdItIOH is thuscreatedutilizing the'natural constrictive force inherent in the materialtoeifect both a closure and the exclusion from the passage of all pastmatter, as 1t closes.

' This self-cleaning e ect is due to the positive constrictive action,the thinness of the wall and to the manner in which the passage healsup, closing first at the inside, as indicated in Figure 4:, and with awedgln action forcing the material outward, t. erefrom.

The nippleapplied to the tube forms an airtight closure thereto, keepingthe contents moist and fresh for an indefinite perlod In use, the tubeis collapsed to fill or partially fill the nipple and then the nipple issqueezed to discharge as much of the paste may be required. Theincipient openmg 1s usually placed in the tip of the nipple asindicated, v

so the nipple may be pinched in from any side or any angle The windingup oi the tube prevents the material from hacking into the tube whenpressure is applied to the nipple and the paste therefore stretches therubber sufiiciently to create the discharge opening and to buckle thetip of the nipple outwardly more or less-after the manner indicated-inFigure 3. This stretching thins the rubber, producing a relatively sharpcutting edge such as indicated and as soon as pressure is released, thetip portion of the nipple buckles backwardly as indicated in Figure 4,biting off the end of the discharged paste and wedging any remainingpaste out of the closing passage so that on the return to normalcondition, as in Figure 5, the paste is cleanly severed and the passageis wholly cleared of material. The device therefore is effective from apractical standpoint and keeps the pasty matter clean and sanitary. Thedevice, furthermore, has the important advantage of being relativelyinexpensive and it may be made either as an integral part of the tube orbe detachably connected therewith.

What is claimed is:

In paste dispensing, the combination with a collapsible paste tubehaving a discharge neck, of an elastic rubber nipple engaged over saidneck and forming both a sealed tube closure and paste holder, saidnipple having a highly elastic thin wall of substantially the samethickness throughout and continuous and iinperforate normally in theabsence of pressure, said wall having a point of cleavage therethroughproduced by a fine perforation formed therein while the material of thewall is stretched in an attenuated condition, whereby the naturalcontraetive eli'ort of the rubber is utilized to elliectually seal saidperforation and whereby when paste is discharged therethrough and theexpelling pressure is released, the eontractive action in closing theperforation becomes effective to cut off the paste and to squeeze theresidual paste out of the closing opening.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this th day of August,1925.

ABBOTT P. BRUSH.

